Apparatus for treating slimes.



' No. 826,390. v PATENTED JULY 17, 1906.

c. w. VAN LAW.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING SLIMES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15.1904.

2 SHEETS-SIRE! l- No. 826,390. I PATENTED JULY 17, 1906. C. W. VAN LAW.

, APPARATUS FOR TREATINGSLIMES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY15.1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

v (was-mania UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

CARLOSW. VAN ITGTTOF GUANAJUATA, MEXIQO. I APPARATUS Fon TREATING S-LIMES. 4

mama m 17, 1906.

Application 11.1 July 15,1904. smart. 218.720-

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, CARLOS W. VAN Law, a citizen of the United States, residing at Guanajuata, Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in A paratus for Treating Slimes, of which the fol owing is a s ecification.

his invention relates to that class of apparatus which is adapted for the treatment of valuable mineral-bearing slimes, and particularly to an apparatus for-filtering the same, soas to remove the solid materials therefrom, all of which will more fully here inafter appear. I

' The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple, economical, and efiicient ap aratus for the filtering of slimes.

ther and further objects of the invention will appear from an examination of the drawin and the following description and claims.

he invention consists princi ally in an apparatus in which there are com ined a filteringtank, a hollow filter in said tankmeans for sub'ecting the liquid slimes' said tank to a flui -pressure exterior to the filter to force the liquids therethrou h, and means for subjecting the interior of t e filter .to .air under ressure to disconnect the filtering mai structed in accordance wit terial om the exterior.

The invention consists, further and finally, in the features, combinations, and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view 'of a system of apparatus for treating slimes as'it a pears when con-- these improvements; Fig. 2, an enlarged plan view of the filtering unit, taken on inc 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a sectional detailtaken on line 3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow; and

Fig. 4, a perspective view-of one of the filterframes hereinafter described.

In the art to which this invention relates it is highly desirable to filter the values from slimes, and to provide an apparatus therefor which will economically and efliciently recover the values contained in such slimes is the principal object of-this invention.

In constructing an apparatus-in accordance with these improvements I provide a slime-supply tank 1, which has agitating mechanism 2 contained therein. The agitating mechanism is revolubly mounted u on a.

shaft 3, arranged to be'operated by 'velgear and pinion mechanism 4 and 5. I next 6, which is connected with the slime-su ply tank by means of a pipe 8, having a va ve 9 'therem, which valve may be operated to open and close said pi e whenever it becomes necessary or desirab e so to do. I next provide a filter-tank 10 and arrange it at a higher level than theslimeressure tank. Y This filter-tank, as well as t e slime-pressure tank, is preferably provided with hopper-bottom provide what I term a slime-pressure tank Eportions to more eificientlyassist in the dis- 1 ichar e of materials therein. A pipe 11 is ;provided, which connects the hopper-bottom of the slime-pressure tank with t e hopperbottom of the filter-tank and in turn is pro- Tvided with a valve 12, which can be 0 erated -to open and close said pipe, and there y provide for a connection and disconnection between such tanks. p

To filter the materialwhenever it is desir-' able or necessary, a hollow filter or battery of filters 13 is provided, which will be more fully I hereinafter described, and the interior of said filter is connected with a dischargeipe 14, having a valve 15 therein, which val ve may be oiplened and closed, as desired, to permit the tered liquid to be discharged from the interior of, the filter. An air-reservoir 16 is also provided in which air under any'desired pressure may be stored to be used as required. Apipe 17 is provided and connected with this air-reservoir and with the upper part of the slime-pressure tank, having a valve 18 to openand close said connections. A, branch pipe 19 is provided, connected with the pipe 17, leading from the air-pressure tanktothe discharge-pipe 14, so that air unwith a valve 20, which may be opened and,

closed whenever it is desirable or necessary so to do. h A recovery-tank '21 is provided to receive the valuable solution as it is discharged from the filter, and such valuable solution ma be discharged through a valved ipe 22 w enever required an carried bac to the slimesupply tank or to such other tank as may be no to re-treat the same. I

What I prefer to term a standard tank 23 is provided and connected by means ofa ipe 24, havin .a valve 25 therein, with the lbwer part of t e filter-tank. This standard tank ma be used to hold cleansing or other chemic liquids, which may be used as reframe with its inclosing wire mesh is arranlg'eg quired for the further'treatment of the filtered material, as will more fully hereinafter ap ear. A valved flushing-pipe 26 1s provided and connected with a suitable source of water-supply and the hopper-bottom of the filtering-tan to flush the same whenever it, may be desirable so to do. Awalved material-discharging ipe 27 is also provided, connected with the h tank and through which the roken caked materials ma be discharged whenever desirable, as wil more fully hereinafter appear.

Describing the filter or'battery of ters,

one of which is shown in Fig.4, it consists of a plurality of frames bound together, each frame being made in the form of a skeleton having an upper bar a and a lower channeled bar I), connected to ether by a plurality of vertical connecting-ham c and d, the central connecting-bars being grooved, as at e, at the lower edge, so as to permit the li uid to ass under the same from each end 0 the c anneled-bar' to the center thereof. The dischar e-pipe 14 is provided with a branch pipe '28, 3, having a plurality of ipes 29, one .of which extends down throug each filterframe to the bottom thereof and into. the

channel-bar at the bottom thereof. Wire: mesh f is tacked around or otherwise secured to. each filter-frame, and around this filteran enveloping canvas sack which is tac tothe upper bar a, as at A plurality of these frames, as shown in Fi s. 2 and 3, are secured together-that is, lai side by sidethoseat the center being broader than those at the ends. It will be noticed, however, that considerable space, as at 'i, is left he has the desire tween the individual members of the combined filter unit,which 5 aces are suflicient for the building u of tile cake of filterin material and the su sequent disconnection o the same, as will more fully hereinafter apear. v

P In operation slime is drawn from the supply-tank and allowed by force of gravity to enter the slimeressure tank until such tank amount of material stored therein to perform one treating operation. The valve 9is then closed, it bein understood that all of the other valves are a so. closed at the start of the operation. Valves 12, 15,

sacks of the filter-frames.

and 18 are then opened, so that air under pressure enters at t e upper part of the slimepressure tank and acts to force the slime into the filter-tank by gradually forcing the liquid therein through the filtering umt and out through its discharge-pipe 14 into the recovery-tank 21, the sohd material becoming gradually caked on the enveloping canvas ThlS process is continued until all of the slime that it is posressure tank has been forced throu h the ter. When this has been performs the valve 30in the equalthevalves'15 and 18 being still opper-openin of the filtera quantity of the compressed air t ough the introduce izingipe 31 is opened which permits air in the slime-pressure tank to enter the filtering-tank and e 'ualize the pressure in both of such tanks, so t at whatever untreated slimes remain in the filter-tank will flow back by force of avityinto the slimepressure tank, leavm the filter suspended in an atmosphere o compressedair; This action, 0 en, forces ed material on the filtering unit to assist in drying and treatingthe same.

Shoul it be desired to further treat the 4 caked material "on the filtering unit, the valve 12 is closed and the valve 25 on the ipe 24 of the standard tank opened to furnisll a su ply of cleansing ,liquld such as ordinari y used in' the treatment of slimes, the ressure of the compressed air in the tank being sufficient to force such cleansing liquid through the filter, as in the case of the slimes from the slime- 'ressure tank. Any such liquids (fwill be forced through the filtered cake and.out through pi e 14 into the recovery-tank or to some ot er tank if it be desired to keep the solution so arate.

When it is desirable to disc arge the finished I cake from the filter, all that it is necessary to do is to close all of the valves and open the valve 32 on the air-discharge pipe 33 to permit the air under ressure to be exhausted from the filter-ta The valve 20 is then o ened, which connects the interior of the ter with the air-reservoir. Air will then flow throu 'h the filter, so as to ex and the canvas sac thereby breaking t e caked material on the exterior of the same, so that it falls into the hopper-bottom of the filtertank, from which it may be discharged by opening the lar e gate-valve 34 on-the material-dischar e plpe 27 into the car 35.

Should it be desirable at any time so to. do,

all of the valves may be closed, with the exception of valve 34, and the valve 36 on the flushing-pipe 26 may be opened, which furnishes a supply of clean water to the filteringtank to flush and cleanse the same.

1. In an apparatusof the class described,

the combination of a filtering-tank and a slimesressure tank, means for fol-cf slimes V cm the pressure-tank to the filtering-tank and through the filter by air at pressure above normal, means for equalizing the pressure in the tanks, and means for subter for subjecting ectini-the interior of the filter to air at pres-- aae,seo

' sure tankconnected at its u per and lower withte sides with the filter-tank,'a ing-tank, a disch the interior of the I connected with the upper part of the slimesressure tank and t or subjecting both. sides of the filter to air under artificial scribed.

' 4. In an apparatus of theclass described ter in the filtere pipe connected with the combinatlon of a filter tank provide with a hopper-bottom, a slimes-pressure tank provided with a hop er-bottom, a valved pipe connecting the v opper-bottom of the -shmes-pressure tankwith the hopper-bottom of the filter-tank, a valved pipe connect the upper art of the slimes-pressure td'r ifi with the ter-tank for e ualizing the ressures therein, a hollow ter in the tertank, a valved discharge-pipe connected with the interior of the hollow filter, an air reservoir, and valved ipe mechanism conmeeting the air-reservo r with theupper part of the slimes-pressuretank and the interior of the filter, substantiall as described.

5. In an apparatus 0 the combination of a filter-tank provided with a hopper-bottom, aslimes-pressure tank provided with a hopper-bottom, a valved pipe connecting the o per-bottom of the shmes-pressure tank wit the hopper-bottom of the filter-tank, a valved pipe connectin the up er art of the shines-pressure tan ter-tank for equalizing the pressures therein, a hollow filter in the filter-tank, a valved discharge-pipe connected with the interior of the hollow filter, anair-reservoir, valved pipe mechanism'connectin the airreser'voir with the u per part of t e slimespressure tank and t e interior of the filter,

and-avalved air-discharge pipe connected with ,the filter-tank for exhausting the air under pressure therefrom, substantially as described.

- 6. In a s stem for treating slimes, the combinat-ion' o a filter-tank provided with a hop- I per-bottom, a slimes-pressure tank provided with the upper part of the slimes -pressure tank, and a valved pipe connecting the upper art of the slimes-pressure tank with a 0118-111 er of the filter-tank to equalize the ressures therein, substantially as describ ter, and an air-reservoir e interior of the filter pressure, substantially as debination o the class described 7. In a System for treating slimes, the combination a filter-tank provided with a hopper-bottom, a slimes-pressuretank provided with a hopper-bottom, a valved pipe connecting the hopper-bottom of the slimes- 1Lifessure tank with the hopper-bottom ,of the ter-tank, a valved discharge-pipe connected with the interior of the filter, an air-reservoir, valved pipe mechanism connectin the alrreservoir with the interior of the lter 'and with then per part of the slimes-pressure tank, a va ved pipe connecting'the upper art of the slime's-pressure tank witha cham-' er of the filter-tank to equalize the ressures therein, and a valved material harge pipe connected with. the ho er-opening 1n the ho per-bottom of the ter-tank, substantia 1y as described.

8. In a sg'stem for treating slimes, the coma filter-tank provided with a hopper-bottom, a slimes-pressure tank provided with a h0pper-bott0m, a valved pipe conter-tank, a slime-supply tank provided necting the hopper-bottom of the slimes- 1pressure tank with the hop er-bottom of the lter tank, a slime-supp y tank provided with agitating mechanism, a valved ipe connecting the slime-supply tank with a slimesressure tank a ho 0w filter in the filter-ta a valved with the interior of the filter, an air-reservoir,

valved pipe mechanism connecting the airreservoir with the interior of the filter and .with the upper part of the slimes-pressure tank, a va ved pipe connecting the upper part of the slimes-pressure tank with a cham- 4 er of the filter-tank to equalize the pressures therein, a l valved material-discharge pi e connected with the ho er-opening in t e hopper-bottom of the ter-tank, a valved pipe connected with a source of water-supply or flushing and cleansing the filtering-tank, and an air-exhaust ipe-connected with the filtering-tank for exhausting air under pressure therefrom, substantially as described.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of filter mechanism, a tank ,in'which such filter mechanism is arranged provided with passages communicating, re-

spectively, with the spacevon opposite sides 0 the filter mechanism, and means for forcing fluid under pressure into such tank on op-- posite sides of such filter mechanism alter-'- nately, a liquid-containing receptacle inside of such filter and a pipe extending inside the filter and into such hquid-conta' rece tacle for discharging li uid from e of t e. filter, substantia l y as escribed.

10. In an'apparatus of the class described the combination of a hollow filter provided with a passage opening upon the inside there'- of, aliquid-contaming channel mounted inside discharge-pipe connected I of the lower portion of such filter with which such assage communicates, a tank in which such lter is arranged provided with a assage communicating with the space in to tank outside of the filter, means for opening and I closing such passages, means for forcing fluid under ressure into the tank on the outside of the filter while the assage 0n the inside of such filter is open, an means for forcing fluid under ressure through thepassa e opening upon the inside of the filter'while t e passage on the outside of such filter is open, substantially as described.

11. In an apparatus of the class described the combination of a. hollow filter provide with a ipe opening upon the inside thereof, a liqui -contai ning channel inside of such filforcing slimes un er ressure into the tank on' the outside of the lter while the assage on the inside of such filter is open, an means for forcing fluidunder ressure through the passage opening upon t e inside of the filter while the passage on the outside of such filter is open, substantially as described. 4

' CARLOS W. VAN LAW; Witnesses:

THOMAS F. SHERIDAN, ANNIE O. CoUR'rENAY. 

